What they'll never see
by Pearl22
Summary: Oneshot. "Why! Why do you defend her, no matter what she does?" Libby has only one explanation.Sadly, they will never understand her. Cindy-Libby friendship Alternate Universe


What they'll never see...

**Disclaimer: I do not own Jimmy Neutron or anything related. Damn sad, I know.**

_A/N: Hello! I know I've got stories to finish, but well, I got this idea and I just went for it^^. I'm a little in the mood today, so that's why I wrote it. It sorta plays in an alternate universe, where Jimmy hasn't moved to Retroville yet. The characters are supposed to be about 17-19 years style may be a bit weird, but yeah..I hope it's okay,I intended it this way, at least...I hope you'll like it, kinda:_

...

„I really can't understand you, my love. Why…why do you stick with this girl?"

His hollow words echoed through her mind and faded again without leaving any impression. She did not pay attention. The things he said did not matter to her. Not _anymore_. There was so much he did not know.

She could see there was a snowstorm outside. Somewhere in the dancing snowflakes her help was needed. But she could not offer any…she was bound to listen to all those meaningless words.

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it lovingly.

"You could do so much better. Find another friend to hang out with…a true friend, who really cares! Why her? Why **her** of all people?!"

She had heard it so often. Did he not get tired?

"She is a real witch! She only lives for herself! She doesn't care for anyone else!"

His voice was sharp and furious. She was not used to him speaking that way to her…it seemed so unfamiliar. Was he worried? Her eyes were flickering as she answered.

"Maybe there is no one she can live for. Maybe nobody cares about _her_."

"Exactly! And you know why? Because she's not acting human! Because she doesn't love anything else but herself!"

The candles casted a faint glow on her face. She understood what he said. She knew what he felt. But it did not matter…he could not _see_.

"The people around her were inhuman. Treated her like a marionette. Expected her to be a winner, nothing less. She did love, but nobody loved her back. Can you blame her?"

"She uses the people around her for her own benefit. She bites those who try to help her. Goodness, why can't you see? Her influence will destroy you! Her coldness will tear your kind heart apart! There won't be anything left of the real you one day!"

At the wall, an antique clock was ticking. Counting the time. _Her_ time.

Why did nobody understand? Why was the world so blind?

"She doesn't use people…she never learned to ask for help. She never learned to be thankful…it's not her fault."

He did not believe her, she could see it. He just looked at the surface…the rough, cold surface. Nobody knew _her_ the way she did.

"She is bloodthirsty. She would do everything to get at the top!"

He spoke the truth. But every truth had two sides.

"Winning is all she learnt."

"She will drop you like dirt when she doesn't need you anymore!"

"Because she doesn't know better."

She could hear him sigh. It pained her to see his sparkling eyes dulled by his worries about her. But she was not the one to worry about. She was not the one who needed to be saved. Sadly, he could not see.

Was she alone there to save _her_?

"Look at all those people around you! How she makes them miserable! How she yells at them, threatens them, cuts them down! How can you stand at the side of such a person?"

She had seen the faces of them. How they tried to stand on _her_ good side. How they were crushed by just one little word _she_ said, one little prank _she_ pulled.

But were they really more miserable than _her_? Who was to judge that?

"Maybe she can't deal otherwise with the way others make HER miserable. Think of it…she probably needs your sympathy more than they do. And I'm not all innocent either. I too, helped her hurt people. Stop blaming it all on her."

He buried his face in his hands. Where was the careless little boy he had been? She could tell he loved her. Too much for his own good.

"You always find something to defend her. But face it." His voice almost sounded desperate.

"She's the star in her empty shallow world! Look at how she beams and acts in her life! She's a spoiled brat, which just acts on her own selfish impulse."

She had not known he even knew to express himself this way. She just wished he had talked about anything else. Her heart was growing heavier every minute.

"If you think she's shallow you don't look deep enough. It's easy to reduce her personality on a bitchy shallow girl. But that's not what she is."

The minutes passed by. He obviously tried to soak in her words, tried to comprehend what she had said. But she knew immediately he would not…ever.

So she looked out of the window instead. The falling snow calmed her…its enchanting harmony bewitching her senses. She could not really tell why she felt so gloomy at this moment. It was not her nature...it never had been.

But can you keep up the cool act if they hurt a person you care for?

She alone had seen the tears shimmering in her friend's eyes. She was the keeper of all secrets _she_ had ever held. Alone for _her _sake she had to be as solid as a rock. No matter how tough this was sometimes.

For _she_ spent too much time hurting because of the people around her. Inwardly. The only thing she could do for _her_ was staying reasonable, calm and cheerful. Act like there were not any problems at all.

So _she_ would stop losing her inner self into that act _she_ pulled off in front of the world.

Not that she entirely understood _her_. Nobody did. _She_ was too complicated, too difficult to deal with.

But she accepted her friend's personality. Truly accepted and stood by her for it. And this was all _she_ longed for: acceptance…love for the one _she_ was.

Cruelly enough _her_ own protection from getting disappointed about this, actually increased the hopelessness of this wish.

The scent of freshly baked cookies reached her nose and made her turn her head around. Maybe he was too entranced by her previous words as to say anything. Or too upset. She would never be able to predict him.

Slowly she faced him again. He was one of those who hurt her friend. Because he did not take her as she was…because he did not take the efforts of getting her to know.

They never would. None of them.

For who could love a beast?

He looked at her again. His touch was warm, but his eyes seemed empty. He thought he was losing her…if he just knew that she was struggling not to lose her friend!

"If that's not what she is…WHO is she then?" he asked her. Simple and clearly spoken.

What had she done to change him this way?

"She's just a girl that doesn't fit in entirely. And she longs more than anything else to be like everyone else…but she can't suppress that she's different."

He scoffed…and she knew she had lost his comprehension again. The snow outside thickened.

"Please…it's her life's purpose to be 'special'."

"Special, but not excluded."

He looked directly at her and their gazes met. She could feel that he was about to demand a decision from her.

_You would have never done that before…what has changed between us?_

"She's never been a good friend to you. All this time you've been there for her, but you never got anything in return! Why do you love her the way you do?"

_You don't know her. You don't know me._

"She has a lot to give if you look deeply. She amuses me…she needs my help. She wouldn't let me down and flee when danger approaches, no matter what you think of her. I think she values friendship more than all of those 'true friends' out there do, because she knows what it's like to be without any. That's why."

Neatly spoken words. Just as his had been. His grip around her hand weakened.

He knew what it was like to be an outcast. But he did not accept to judge _her_ misery the same way he judged the way the people mocked his being.

_And I see our feelings fading._

The time went by. They just stared into each others' eyes…waiting for the final turn.

She knew now, he would do everything to make her end their friendship. Because he did not want to see her hurt…because he loved her.

Was he to blame his grown- from- concern determination hurt her more than anything else?

He took a deep breath as he finally spoke.

"I can't understand it. I never will…all I can do is…begging you for your… _**our**_ sake …stop defending her. Please stop standing up for her!"_._

She could see the wish brimming in his eyes. Heard how he silently tapped his fingers on the table...in nervous wait for her next words.

Her eyes shone warmly as she looked at him.

She loved him.

_But you demand too much._

Slowly she rose from her seat and stroke lightly with her hand over his cheek.

"No. I cannot stop being there for her…not even for you."

Their worlds shattered. But the snow kept falling on the ruins of their love.

"Why! Why do you defend her, no matter what she does? Why do you sacrifice everything we have? For a person like her?!"

She could hear the swallowed sobs in his voice as he screamed at her.

"Tell me…why do you back her up, every time again?"

Her voice was firm as she spoke. Her eyes were shimmering, deceiving the held back tears.

"Because Cindy is my best friend. And whenever she needs my help, I'll be there for her. She is my _best_ friend, Sheen. That's the only explanation I will ever need."

As she walked out, her whispered words hung tenderly in the air.

"I'm sorry if you can't deal with that."

Her silhouette vanished in the snowy storm, till he could not see her anymore.

And then he understood…

…that she was gone.

...

On her way back home, she noticed a girl and a boy standing on the sideway. Her eyes were veiled with tears, but she watched them nonetheless.

The boy seemed to be a new one in this town… she could not remember meeting him before.

Her best friend was arguing with him. Vivid. Furiously._ As equals._

And for the first time this day, Libby smiled…with an auspicious and a dropping eye.

_A/N: I realize it may be out of character, but yeah. I just had to write it down. I hope nobody absolutely hates it O_O I just needed a bit friendship today. It's not my usual though^^. Please tell me what you think! (that means REVIEW ^^) _

_Love, firepearl!_


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